Mounting of impression plates on platens



1952 4 J. NASMlTH ETAL 2,615,394

MOUNTING OF IMPRESSION PLATES ON PLATENS Filed Jan. 12, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 28, 1952 I J. NASMITH ETAL 2,615,394

MOUNTING OF IMPRESSION PLATES 0N PLATENS Filed Jan. 12, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 28, 1 952 MOUNTING OF IMPRESSION PLATES N PLATENS John Irving Nasmith and Flavius Kingsford Daniels, London, England, assignors to Vickers- Armstrong's Limited, London, England, a British company Application January 12, 1949, Serial No. 70,444

In Great Britain January 22, 1948 7 Claims.

The invention relates to the mounting of impression plates on platens, and it concerned more particularly with presses of the type wherein an impression is taken on an impression plate superimposed on and secured to the face of the platen, the work to be impressed being placed on the surface of such impression plate.

Machines of the type specified include printing, creasing or cutting presses with rotating platen. I

In presses of the type specified, in order to obtain an even impression over the whole area of contact and the required flexibility to attain this, it is the practice to insert packing between the face of the platen and the lower surface of the impression plate, and local adjustment at any part of the surface may be necessary. :A number of such adjustments may have to be made and the impression plate may have to be manipulated for this purpose a number of times before a satis-, factory impression is obtained. It is therefore desirable to have ready means of access to any part of the impression area without completely removing the plate, but nevertheless allowing a sufficient amount of movement to leave plenty of manipulating space and a clear field of vision over this area. Further it is desirable that all parts should be equally accessible andvisible.

A purpose of the invention is to provide improved means of mounting the impression plate to enable the initial adjustments required to be made readily and expeditiously.

According to one feature of the invention the impression plate is mounted for bodily movement, with respect to the platen, in a guided path between the position of rest and another stable position. This motion is preferably a parallel translatory motion with respect to the platen and to the position of rest of the impression plate. Further, the relative motion should be comparatively large and, to avoid accidents through inattention, it is desirable to connect the means for imparting the relative motion to the plate with safety means for preventing operation of the machine unless the plate is in the working position to receive impressions i. e. in the position of rest with respect to the platen.

According to a further feature otthe invention the means for mounting and shifting the plate are self-locking both in the working position 1. e. the position of rest of the plate and in the advanced position. A further feature of the invention is that the impression plate is readily detachable from the mounting mechanism. This feature is preferably realised by a linkage for advancing the plate whilst the latter is guided in the desired relationship to the-platen, the linkage being such as to-follow the plate to be removed only when the latter is in the advanced position. The mounting does not however necessarily involve direct fastening means between the plate and the platen face and is always available for immediate manipulation. A form of mounting fulfilling these requirements is one in which a linkage has points of support with the impression plate which whilst serving to impart the necessary motion to the plate are also arranged to have a limited degree of movement transversely with respect to the direction of motion of the plate, which transverse movement may be employed for locking the plate in the advanced position.

An example of a preferred mounting according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the platen and impression plate of a cutting and creasing press with rotating platen, the impression plate being shown in the working position in which it rests on the face of the platen.

Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure 1 but showing the impression plate raised from the platen.

Figure 3 is a front elevation in which the essential parts of the mechanism are shown in the position corresponding to that of Figure 1.

In these drawings some of the contiguous parts of the machine and the frame thereof are diagrammatically indicated in so far as they make clear the construction now to be described but these parts are not allotted reference numerals or specifically referred to in the description which follows.

'The impression plate I has secured to it at either side a supporting flange 2 such thatwhen the impression plate is applied to the platen 3 the supporting flanges nest: along the side edges of the platen and extend. for substantially the full length of the said edges. .The supporting flanges 2 each have a central open-ended slot 4 co-operating with a guide pin 5 secured in the platen side, these slots being in a"direction at right-angles to the face of the impression plate. At each end of each of the supporting flanges are provided inwardly open slots 6; extending in a direction parallel with the face of the impression plate;

mechanism, the plate and its supporting flanges may be bodily lifted off the machine and replaced by another similar unit when desired.

The lifting mechanism, which is duplicated at each side of the platen, comprises a pair .of pivots 8 and Q'fixed to,the-'-'platen casting 'andsymmetrically disposed with respect to the centre line of the impression plate, on which are pivoted a pair of equal two-armed levers Ill and II, the inner opposed arms of which are -op'eratively interconnected by a pin l2 and slot I 3 at the center line referred to andv the outerarms of which support the impression'plate,bymeans of.

the pins 1 and slots 6 above'referred-te.

One arm of each of the functionally equal two-armed levers H1 at each side of the platen may be extended towards the front of the mashifting the impression plate from said normal stable position to a second stable position spaced from, and parallel to, the platen and aifordin access to the surface of the platen, said mechanism comprising levers pivotally connected to the t platen at points intermediate their ends, a support at one; end of: each of said levers for supporting the impression plate, means for actuating said levers to shift the impression plate from chine for the purpose of mounting a connecting and operating bar catches l5 mounted on the said extended arms. The-catches l5 engage with a locating sector 1.5 fixed on the platon casting such that the .impression plate may be locked in either of the extreme positions, that isin ,theadvan'ced po-- sition (Fig. 2) or in the working position resting against the platenface (Fig. '1) I The operating bar and locking means are convenientlyfsoarranged that the impression plate maybe unlocked andshifted from one position to ,the other in the same movement. Whenfully raised the'impression plate is free to be removed from the lifting mechanism, .the pins on the levers haying been shifted to the open ends of the slots 6" during the lifting operation. As will ..be,seen from the figures, the symmetrical arrangement of levers Ill and llensures paralleiism of theplate. but the central slot 6 andpi-ne ensure that the motion of the plate isnormal to, the faceofthc platen, ,The impression plate may therefore be advanced'from the platen with a parallel translatory motion which is ample for providing accessibility to all parts of the under face. f

To prevent the machine beingaccidently or inadvertently operated whilst the impression plate is in the raised position, which would resuit in serious damage, the plate lifting levers are provided with vsafety,mechanism interconnected with the starting pedal of the machine. Such interconnection may be eifected as shown by astop lever is ,pivoted on the machine frame at IT, one end of which lever co-operates with a lever l8 connected with the machine starting pedal and the other end of which is'connecte'd to the plate lifting means by a radial linkage 2.0. When the impression plate is in the normal working position, starting and operation of the machine .can take place, but as .soon as the plate is raised the stop lever locks the starting means, and the machine cannot then be started untilthe plate has been restored to the working position.

We claim:

' '1. In combination with a platen, an impression platenormally secured in a stable positionto the face of 'the'platen, mechanism for supporting, and shifting the impression plate from said normalstable position to-a second stable position spaced from, .and parallel to, the platen and afiordi-ng access to the surface of the platen, means for actuating said mechanismito shift the impression plate from one stable position to another, means foroperating the platen, .a linkagemeohanism operatively connected to said supportingand,

shifting mec'hanismof the impression plate, and

means for causing said linkage mechanism td i l and a spring catch or 'onejstable position to the other, means for operating the platen, a lever device for controlling saidoperating means, a link pivotally connected to at least one of said impression plates support-' ing levers, locking. means engageablewith said lever. device to prevent operation of the platen, means operatively connecting said link tosaid locking means, and means for causing said lock ing means to engage with said lever device to. prevent operation of, the platen when the'impression plate is'in .saidsecond position spaced from the platen, and for releasing said locking means when said impression plate is moved into its normal positionon the face of the platen.

3. Incombination with a platen, an impres sion plate normally secured in a stablepo'sition to the face of. the-platen, mechanism for supporting and shifting the impression plate from said normal stable position to a second stable position spaced from, and parallel. to, the platen and affording access to the surface of the. platen, said, mechanism comprising levers pivotally connected to the platen at points intermediate their, ends, supporting pins at the ends of said levers. bearing surfaces onsaid impression plate engageable by said supporting pins, saidbearing surfaces extending parallel to the face of'the impression plate and serving as guides for said pins, slots adjacent said bearing surfaces and engageable by said pinsftov lock the impression plate in said normal stable position, means for actuating said shifting mechanism to move the impression plate to, its second stablefposition spaced from the platen, and to disengage said pins from the slots so thatthe plate, when in its said second stable position, can be lifted from said pins, means for operating the platen, means including a lever for controlling said operating means, link 'mechanism operatively connected to sai'd supporting and shifting mechanism of the impression plate, and means for causing said link mechanism to engage with said lever to prevent operation of the platen when the impres sionplate is in said second stable position.

. 4. .A press comprising, in combination, a plat}:

en, an impression plate normally secured in a stable position to the face ,of the platen, mechanism for supporting and shafting the imprese sion plate from said normal-stable positionto a second stable position spaced from, and parallel to, the.,platen and affordingiac'cess to the surface oftheplaten, said mechanism comprising a pair of. levers ,pivotally connected to the platen on either side thereof, pins at the ends ofsaidlevers for supporting the impression pla'tefside flanges on the impression plate, bearing surfaces at each end of said side flanges Jand engageablefby said supporting pins, said surfaces extending in' a direction parallel with thefa'ce ofthe pres on;

catch mounted on said extension, a member mounted on the platen and engageable by said spring catch to maintain the impression plate in either one of said'stable positions, means for actuating the shifting mechanism to move the impression plate into, and away from, its said normal stable position, means for operating the press, means including a lever device for controlling said operating means, a link pivotally connected to at least one of the levers of said shifting mechanism, locking means engageable with said lever device to prevent operation of the press, means operatively connecting said link to said locking means, and means for causing said locking means to engage with said lever device to prevent actuation of the platen when the impression plate is in said second stable position, and for releasing said locking means when said impression plate is into its normal stable position on the face of the platen.

5. In a press, the combination of a platen, an

impression plate normally secured in a stable position to the face of the platen, mechanism for supporting and shifting the impression plate from said normal stable position to a second stable position spaced from, and parallel to, the platen and affording access to the surface of the platen, said mechanism comprising levers pivotally connected to the platen at points intermediate their ends, pins at the supporting ends of said levers for supporting said plate, flanges on opposite sides of said impression plate, bearing surfaces formed in said flanges and engageable by said supporting pins, means for actuating said shifting mechanism to move the impression plate from one stable position to the other, means for operating the press, a pedal for controlling said operating means, a stop lever connected with said pedal, an arm pivotally mounted on the press frame and engageable with said stop lever to prevent said pedal from being operated to start the press, a link pivotally connected at one end to a lever of the impression plate shifting mechanism, the opposite end of said link being pivotally connected to said arm so that, when the impression plate is shifted into said second stable position, said link rocks the pivoted arm into engagement with the stop lever to prevent said pedal from being actuated to start the press.

6. In a press, the combination of a platen, an impression plate normally secured in a stable position to the face of the platen, mechanism for supporting and shifting the impression plate from said normal stable position to a second stable position spaced from, and parallel to, the platen and affording access to the surface of the platen, said mechanism comprising a pair of levers arranged on each side of the platen, the levers being pivotally connected to the platen at points intermediate their ends, means associated with said levers for retaining the impression plate in either one of its stable positions, means for actuating said shifting mechanism to move the impression plate from one stable position to the other, means for operating the press, a pedal for stopping and starting said operating means,

an arm pivotally mounted on the press frame and engageable with a part of said pedal to hold the latter in the stop position, a link, one end of which is pivotally connected to a lever of the impression plate shifting mechanism, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to said arm, said link rocking said arm, when the impression plate is shifted into said second stable position, to cause said arm to engage said pedal and lock the latter in its stop position.

7. A press comprising in combination, a platen, an impression plate normally secured in a stable position to the face of the platen, mechanism for supporting and shifting the impression plate from said normal stable position to a second stable position spaced from and parallel to, the platen and affording access to the surface of the platen, said mechanism comprising levers pivoted in the platen symmetrically of a principal axis of the impression plate, pins at the supporting ends of the levers, side flanges on said plate arranged to nest along the edges of the platen, bearing surfaces for said pins at the ends of the side flanges, said surfaces being parallel with the face of the impression plate, recesses at the outer ends of said bearing surfaces, said recesses being engaged by said pins when the impression plate is moved into its normal stable position, a central open-ended slot on each side fiange normal to the face of said plate, a guide pin mounted on each side of the platen and engageable with said central slot to ensure parallel motion of the impression plate normal to the surface of the platen, a spring catch device for releasably holding the impression plate in either one of said stable positions, means for actuating the shifting mechanism to move the impression plate from one stable position to the other, means for operating the press, a pedal for controlling said operating means, a stop lever connected with said pedal, an arm pivotally mounted on the press frame and engageable with said stop lever to prevent said pedal from being operated to start the press, a link, one end of which is pivotally connected to a lever of the impression plate shifting mechanism, and the other end of which link is pivotally connected to said arm so that, when the impression plate is shifted into the second stable position said link rocks the pivoted arm into engagement with the stop lever to prevent said pedal from being actuated to operate the press.

JOHN IRVING NASMITH. FLAVIUS IUNGSFORD DANIELS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 523,006 Price July 17, 1894 1,596,420 Foothorap Aug. 17, 1926 1,791,163 Frauenberger Feb. 3, 1931 1,796,327 Gollnick et al Mar. 17, 1931 1,829,004 Howard Oct. 27, 1931 

